The Old Testament reading from Sirach glorifies the rule of law, telling people, “If you choose, you can keep the Lord’s commandments, they will save you.” The reading from Psalm 119 also glorifies the rule of law, using various synonyms across its many verses such as precepts, statutes, commandments, and judgments. The psalm extends a “blessing to those who walk by the law of the LORD.”
The glorified rule of law is set forth in ancient manuscripts like the Old Testament. Earthly rulers write the law but glorify it claiming ‘God’ wrote it. Rulers’ laws – glorified – are affirmed by ancient to modern statesmen. These men helped shaped the U.S. Empire and still do. John Locke said, “Wherever law ends, tyranny begins.” Yet Locke knew the tyranny of slavery was set in law. Adam Smith, who supported slavery, knew it was “persons who make all the laws in a country are persons who have slaves.” Frederick Douglass understood, “The people permitted this outrage (of slavery) in obedience to the popular sentiment of reverence for law.” The glorified rule of law was not the foundation of civilization. It was the foundation of slavery. Beginning in ancient time through to our own, a glorified master class sets their rule into law to facilitate their capital gains. While many may argue otherwise, the Trump Administration is adhering to the glorified rule of law, written by and in service to the master class. The rule of law always included bankruptcy tricks to restructure businesses. It always included campaign financing scams by politicians and Executive Orders and regulatory manipulations and tax codes beneficial to the master class. It always included law enforcement, whether police or sheriffs or Border Security or ICE. These agencies have always violently enforced the rule of law against common people while overwhelmingly facilitating the capital gains of the master class. We will not be saved from the master class’ rule of law by liberals exercising the master class’ 2nd Amendment rights. Nor by members of the master class’ local police or sheriffs starting shoot-outs with the master class’ ICE agents in a civil war. Instead, we free ourselves from the lot of them by exercising our conscientious authority for the common good. It is not a utopian wish but an enduring reality. Conscientious authority has been specifically witnessed in the U.S. by people of color. Those witnessing an essentially Christ-like challenge to the U.S.’ glorified rule of law are activists of the ongoing movements of Civil Rights, Critical Race Theory, and Black Lives Matter. While being consistently dehumanized, devalued, and their communities destroyed, they have done their best to live free. They are the inspiration for peaceful activism, especially in Minnesota of late. Unlike the Judas MAGA movement that titles itself ‘Christ-like,’ these activists embody Christ-like.
2,000 years ago, Jesus de-glorified the master class’ rule of law. He does so in today’s Gospel. Numerous times he repeats an example of the glorified rule of law, “You have heard it said…,” only to replace it with his conscientious authority by saying, “… but I say to you…” Our challenge is not to defund a particular agency acting as a paid slave patrol currently killing some of us. Our challenge is to replace the master class and its glorified rule of law that claims the right to kill any of us.
Prayer: Beautiful Spirit, inspire us for freedom of conscience.
Question: How do I show what Frederick Douglass called a popular sentiment toward a reverence for the rule of law?
February 15, 2026 Gospel Matthew 5:17-37 Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time